After years of contemplation, legendary vocalist John Bush has announced a special run of live performances dedicated exclusively to the music from his celebrated, decade-long tenure with thrash icons Anthrax. In a new, in-depth interview, Bush explained that after years of reluctance, he felt compelled to resurrect the classic songs himself, declaring that he doesn’t want a significant chapter of the band’s history to “go into oblivion.”
The three initial shows, scheduled for this December in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, will see Bush perform a career-spanning set from the four albums he recorded with the band, from 1993’s Sound Of White Noise to 2003’s We’ve Come For You All.
Speaking on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Bush addressed why, after years of fan requests, the time was finally right. “I’ve talked about this for quite a while, and it’s come and gone because of various reasons — scheduling, or maybe I was just reluctant,” he admitted (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). Acknowledging that he’s about to turn 62, he decided the time for waiting was over. “I’ve been talking about this forever, and so let’s just do it. Let’s stop talking about it and let’s do it.”
His primary motivation, he explained, is to honor a catalog of songs that have been largely absent from live sets since his departure. While he understands why the current Joey Belladonna-fronted Anthrax focuses on their own material, it has left the ’90s and early 2000s albums in a “time capsule.”
“I don’t want these songs to just go into oblivion here,” Bush stated passionately. “There’s some really great material here, and in the ’90s these songs had a lot of impact on people. So, I’m figuring, well, if you guys aren’t gonna do it, then I should do it. And that’s why I’m finally doing it.” He added, “Would I do this [if Anthrax was still performing these songs]? Probably not. But they’re not, so I am.”
To bring these songs back to life, Bush has assembled a formidable backing band composed of his Category 7 bandmates—guitarists Phil Demmel and Mike Orlando and drummer Jason Bittner—along with his longtime Armored Saint partner, bassist Joey Vera. “If I was trying to put a band together from scratch of people that I would like to do these Anthrax songs, I would choose those guys ’cause they’re amazing,” he said.
Fans can expect a setlist that goes beyond the obvious hits. “I wanna play some deep tracks — I don’t wanna just play the obvious songs, like ‘Only’, ‘Room For One More’, ‘Fueled’,” he revealed. “I wanna play ‘Safe Home’, whatever. I wanna play some deep tracks, because it will be more fun that way.”
While these three shows are an initial step to “see what the vibe is,” Bush is open to taking the celebration to Europe and beyond, though his main focus for 2026 remains a new album and tour with Armored Saint. For now, the tour represents a long-awaited celebration for a legion of fans who cherish the Bush era, with the man himself finally stepping up to ensure that a powerful and important part of Anthrax‘s legacy is not forgotten.
John Bush Selected U.S. Dates:
- December 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Whisky A-Go-Go
- December 18 – St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre
- December 20 – New York, NY @ Racket
